Monday, December 31, 2007

Swallow that

On the right, aspirin for people. On the left, aspirin for cows. Twice a day, Lottie, the Jersey cow, gets two of the big ones. The instructions say 'by bolus' which is a fancy way of saying 'poke it down her throat.' It's a common technique, and every feed supply store sells a simple tool to help with that. I know how it's done. I've seen it done. It's just not happening here, now, with this cow when I don't have a squeeze chute to immobilize her. I have enough trouble poking pills down cats' throats.

Fortunately, the vet said I could grind up the aspirin boluses and mix them with grain. Add a little warmed molasses, thinned 50/50 with water to bind the powder to the grain, and Lottie has a therapeutic morning snack.

She's better than she was, but not well yet. The vet warned me it would take a while.